lucuma fudge

yum yum yum! I found this delicious recipe in a superfood handbook from one of my favourite organic food companies – Organic Traditions. If you haven’t bought their food before its all delicious, nutritious and organic. They carry a lot of the superfoods, like lucuma, maca, maqui and sacha inchi seeds, some of my favs  which can be hard to find. I wanted to try a lot of the recipes in the handbook but I already had all of the ingredients for this recipe, so voila! They actually refer to this recipe as “Luscious Lucuma White Chocolate” but I didnt reaaaally find it all that vanilla-y, I personally felt it tasted more like maple fudge, the lucuma powder has a maple taste to it.  This is a great alternative to regular fudge which is basically all processed sugar.. i know i know, it is delicious and every once and a while its okay to have some, but this is a great snack you can keep in the freezer and whip out whenever you feel that sweet tooth coming on. It is packed with superfoods making this a very healthy alternative! It takes only a few minutes to make, so super easy, and all you have to do is let it sit in the freezer to harden! Enjoy this healthy treat

Ingredients:

1 cup organic coconut oil

2 tbsp chia seeds

6 tbsp lucuma powder

1 tbsp maca powder

1 tbsp HoneyPro*  (this is a honey that has maca in it)

1/2 tsp of vanilla powder

pinch of himalayan salt

Preparation:

Melt the coconut oil over very low heat into a liquid. I added the honey into the coconut oil when it was liquid just so it would blend a bit better. Transfer to a bowl and blend in the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust the flavours. Pour the liquid into molds or an ice cube tray and place in the freezer to set. Store in a tightly covered container in the freezer or refrigerator.

ps* Organic Traditions can be found at most health food stores, and I believe Whole Foods carries it as well

mash it up!

This is a delicious and simple recipe that I found in my newest treasured book “Meals  that Heal Inflammation” by Julie Daniluk. It combines sweet potatoes and home-made pesto to create a very yummy side dish. I absolutlely love pesto and always seem to find myself mixing into different rice or quinoa recipes to add that extra bit of flavour. Sweet potatoes are a very high source of Vitamin A & E, while also providing tryptophan and B vitamins which are important for stress reduction. They also contain beneficial antioxidants and anti-inflammtory properties. Boiling sweet potatoes seems to be the most effective way of retaining these important health properties, specifically mainting the Vitamin A content and has a more favourable impact on blood sugar metabolism. Sweet potatoes differ from white potatoes as they are not part of the nightshade family, which means that they do not create inflammation. Basil is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, contains flavonoids which protect our cells against oxygen-based damage and contains nutrients to protect the heart. It is also a very good source of Vitamin K which helps keep our bones strong, and is also packed with iron, calcium and vitamin A.

Now down to business. Here’s how to prepare this scrumptious treat:

Ingredients:

2 lb sweet potatoes or yams, diced into 1/2 inch cubes

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup dairy and nut free pesto (or store bought, see recipe below)

1/4 tsp grey sea salt or himlayan salt

Directions:

1. Put the sweet potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan and add cold water to just cover

2. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Drain off the cooking water (storing it in a glass jar for sweet vegetable broth later)

3. Mash roughly with potato masher, then stir in the pesto and salt.

Dairy-free Pesto Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup EVOO

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

2-6 cloves garlic (depending on size of cloves and your preference)

1/2 tsp himilayan salt

2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend until smooth and add to mash.

 

SERVE AND ENJOY!!

Chipotle BBQ Kale Chips!

A lot of people suffer from “the inability to put the chip bag down” syndrome, and unfortunately, I too succumb to this from time to time. I also live with a chip monster who’s ultimate fav is BBQ chips. When I saw this recipe in “Whole Foods to Thrive”, I knew I had to make it for my special guy. This is an easy recipe that will fill that craving for the overloaded sodium hydrogenated potato chip. Kale is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, provides high antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and has anti-cancer properties. Kale also helps out your friendly little liver in the detoxification process (phase 1 & 2), by helping to deal with toxin exposure – environmental and/or from our food. Add this superfood into your diet today – and try out this recipe! Maybe you wont be needing those Lays after all

Ingredients

1 bunch organic kale

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 tsp sea salt/himalayan salt

1/2 tsp chipotle powder

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp raisins

- Wash and strip the kale leaves into a bowl, discarding the stems. Tear up any large pieces and set aside. Combine all ingredients except the kale into a food processor/blender, and process until smooth, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides if needed. Pour the blended mixture on top of the kale, using a small spatula or spoon to remove it from the food processor/blender. Using clean hands, massage the mixture into the kale for 1 minute to evenly coat the leaves.

Dehydrator method: warm the dehydrator to 115F. Spread out the kale onto 4 mesh dehydrator sheets, and dehydrate for 10-12 hours, or until crispy (time may vary depending on relative humidity).

Oven method: heat oven to 200F. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of a baking sheep, and spread the kale chips over the surface, as evenly as possibl, to ensure even cooking time. Bake for about 75-100 minutes or until kale as dried out and is crispy. For best results, toss the kale several times. Keep a close eye on the kale at the end of its cooking process to make sure it doesn’t burn.

Enjoy immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks!

the unknown superfood: MATCHA

  This delicous Japanese cerimonial green tea has been around for over 800 years! It is  now gaining popularity as a superfood that surpasses virtually every other antioxidant superfood today – higher than blueberries, 100x more potent than Vitamin C and 25x more active than Vitamin E.  It provides 10x the strength and health benefits of regular green tea! and has many more amazing health benefits as well as tasting amazing I just ordered a whole bunch of it from a company call Got Matcha? and recieved it today. I was enjoying my cup of matcha tea and I got inspired to write about it and share with you all the amazing things about this tea. I shouldn’t really be drinking it at 10pm as it contains high amounts of L-Theanine, an amino acid that provides sustained energy and increased mental clarity and focus - but I was too excited!  Matcha is the ultimate “energy drink” with no added sugars… sooo probably best to drink it in the morning or during the day for a little pick me up!

 Whats to love????

-Longevity: green tea has been researched for years to lower mortality rates. Matcha tea (the mother of all green teas), is just that much more powerful!

- Heart Disease: Matcha is anti-inflammatory, cholesterol lowering, full of antioxidants – all of which protect the heart <3 

- Improved Memory: maintains cognitive ability, while neutralizing harmful radicals that can cause damage to the brain

-Sustained Energy: delivers energy for 3-6 hours without the caffeine crash

-Lowers blood pressure and hypertension: by producing nitric oxide, which dilates the arteries and reduces blood pressure

-Weight loss: natural appetite suppressant while increasing metabolism

 

Stay HAWT and energized with this powerful powder!

Dirty Dozen Ingredients to Avoid in your Cosmetics

To be HAWT on the inside and out you cant ignore the harmful chemicals that you could be putting on your skin everyday. Anything that you put on your skin absorbs into your blood stream in 15 minutes, so it’s important to not only read the labels on food but also on your lotions and cosmetics! Putting these chemicals on your body everyday for a long period of time can be harmful to your health, so be aware of what can be lurking in your beauty products. These chemicals are also bad for the environment and can be avoided by using natural, safe alternatives. Here is a list of the top 12 toxins to avoid:

1. BHA and BHT: found in moisturizer, makeup, etc. May cause cancer and interfere with hormone function. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.

2. Coal tar dyes: Look for P-Phenylenediamine in hair dyes, and colours identified as “C.I” followed by the five digits in other products. Potential to cause cancer and can be contaminated with heavy metals toxic to the brain.

3. Cyclomethicone and siloxanes: Widely used in moisturizer, makeup, hair products etc. May interefere with hormone function and damage the liver. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.

4. DEA, MEA and TEA: In creamy and foaming products such as moisturizer and shampoo. Can react to form cancer-causing nitrosamines. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.

5. Dibutyl Phthalate: In nail products. Toxic to reproduction and may interefere with hormone function. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.

6. Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives: Look for dmdm hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine, or quarternium-15. Widely used in hair products, moisturizers, etc. Formaldehyde causes cancer.

7. Parabens: Widely used in makeup, moisturizers etc. May interefere with hormone function. Associated with breast cancer.

8. Parfum: Widely used even in some products marketed as “unscented” (often the last ingredient). Mixture of chemicals that can trigger allergies and asthma. Some linked to cancer and neurotoxicity. Some harmful to fish and other wildlife.

9. PEG: Widely used in conditioners, moisturizers, deodorants, etc. Can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer.

10. Petrolatum: In hair products, lip balm/lipstick, skin care products. Petroleum products that can be contaminated with cancer-causing impuritites.

11. Sodium Lareth Sulfate (SLES) and Soidum Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): In products that foam such as shampoo, cleansers, bubble bath. SLES can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, which may cause cancer. SLS may damage liver. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.

12. Triclosan: In “anti-bacterial” products such as toothpaste, soaps, hand sanitizers. May interfere with hormone function and contribute to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Harmful to fish and other wildlife.

 

The key to eating healthy is to keep it simple, and the same goes for your beauty products. The fewer the ingredients the better and if you dont know what an ingredient is, do your research and decide if it is something you want to be  putting on your body. Here are a few lines of beauty products that I love and use!

Aubrey Organics

Olive Baby

Dr. Bronners fair trade soap

NOW Products

Jaydancin Organic Makeup & Skincare Products

SunCoat Products

Plant2Body Organics

 

There are many many more out there.. shop around and try out different brands to find what you like! You can also make your own products!! Here is a recipe for hand lotion that is simple and easy: (taken from a sonoma garden organics)

 1 1/4 cup hot water

 1/4 cup beeswax

 1/4 cup olive oil

 24-36 drops essential oil

 

 

Instructions: In a glass pyrex measuring glass combine olive oil and beeswax and put in pot of hot water on the stove and heat until it is all melted. Add the essential oil into the oil and beeswax while you heat up the water. Then pour the hot water into the mixture and watch it turn milky white. Then pour the hot lotion into wide mouth point size jars and let cool overnight. The next morning you’ll have a fresh jar of homemade natural hand lotion!

For more information on chemicals in cosmetics go to www.DavidSuzuki.org/whatsinside

 

 

 

 

Rev up your breaky with goji berries!

Theres nothing lik a warm, oatmeal-y like breakfast that just puts me in a good mood for the day. I guess because its nice and filling, warm, nutritious and for me it brings back fond memories of being a kid at my grandparents. My favourite breakfast that my grandma would whip up was oatmeal, just plain and simple with a spoonful of brown sugar. It has been my breaky fav my entire life, and now I am always trying to reinvent it by adding different ingredients to take this delicious breakfast to the next level! You can use oats, although some oats do contain some wheat so you must be careful if you have an intolerance or allergy to gluten, but there are many alternatives that can be switched up and are equally yummy. You could use quinoa flakes, quinoa, amaranth, teff, brown rice (all of which are gluten free options). Today I used  creamy brown rice which creates a great porridge because its smaller  than the actual whole rice grain, so it creates a beautiful creamy texture. I added chia seeds for my source of protein, dates for sweetness and fiber, cinnamon for taste (and helps to regulate blood sugar levels), and last but not least – goji berries! If you haven’t heard of this amazing superfood dont worry ill fill you in on all the goods. They hail from the Himalayas and can benefit people with diabetes, hypetension, malaria, fever, cancer and many other ailments. Gram for gram, goji berries pack more Vitamin C than oranges and more Beta-Carotene than carrots. They are also a great source of protein as they contain all 8 essential amino acids and a source of iron providing 20% of your daily value for a 1/4 cup. Goji berries are a great addition to your breakfast, smoothie, or as a snack in a trail mix. I plan on making a recipe soon for sweet potato goji berry muffins – so stay tuned!! So I hope you enjoy this recipe, remember to keep mixing things up adding different ingredients to different grains for a spin on the past. Old recipes, and the memories that come with it, are something to hold on to. Stay HAWT & HEALTHY!

Maca: the ancient superfood

 Maca is a SUPERFOOD that belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family and hails from peru. Maca has a long history of being an amazing source of food known to provide strength and stamina, which was why it was fed to the Incas when preparing for battle. Maca is still fairly new to Canada, but with its numerous health benefits it is quickly gaining the popularity it deserves. You can find Maca at most health food stores in the form of liquid, powder or capsule supplement. As a general suggestion 3000-5000mg of Maca per day is the standard dose. This small plant has an extremely impressive nutrient content providing amino acids, minerals, sterols, 20 fatty acids, vitamins, saponins, tannins, carbohydrate and protein! I have seen the interest and success of this plant at the health food store where I work, people love it! I have only recieved good comments about this product and people continue  to ask about it. This is probably because Maca is so versatile, as it can be used in many different ways. It has benefits for both males and females; for women Maca enhances libido, increase energy, stamina and endurance, assist to overcome depression stress and anxiety, reduce hot flashes, improve hormonal balance, and it may improve sleep patterns. Maca may be most notebly known for its ability to balance hormones, therefore it can be used with HRT  and can also be used to correct menstrual irregularity and PMS issues, enhance fertility, as well as improve concentration and state of mind. Maca can help men enhance libido, increase energy, stamin and endurance, increase sperm count, mobility and formation, assist to overcome depression and chronic fatigue, improve the immune system, and increase general well-being. It can also assist in increasing testosterone levels, aid in erectile dysfunction and can increase muscle mass. Maca is also a potent antioxidant which provides cellular protection and is known to provide significant rebuilding of bone density in individuals with osteoporosis. Along with all these AMAZING benefits, Maca is an adaptogen. Adaptogens have the ability to assist the body in dealing with stress, as well as balancing hormones and boosting the immune system. Mother nature created a wonderful anti-stress formula when creating this plant as it contains 22 amino acids, multiple antioxidants, high B vitamins and magnesium. This plant is seriously amazing and everyone should be incorporating this plant into their diet. If you buy Maca as powder you can use it in your baking or smoothies in order to create energizing, stress-busting foods. Below is a recipe for Maca to get you started!

 

No Bake Protein Bars

2 cups            quick cooking oats

1 1/2 cups    all natural peant butter (or almond, cashew etc.)

4 scoops       of chocolate or vailla protein powder

1 tbsp            of ground flax seed

1 tbsp            of Maca

1/2 cup        of water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Knead all ingredients into a large bowl

2. Line a square pan with wax paper. Spread dough into pan using a spatula.

3. Freeze for 30 minutes.

4. Remove from freezer and cut into bars. Keep in fridge to stay fresh.

Serves 12-16

*Recipe and information taken from “The Power of Maca” written by Registered Holistic Nutritionist Lorrie Ingram.